THE ROYAL TOUR

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 197, 15 May 1920, Page 8

THE ROYAL TOUR

PRINCE OF WALES IN / , CHRISTCHURCH

PRESENTED WITH FREEDOM OF CITY

POPULAR ENTHUSIASM

IBj" TelagrnDh—Press AFSOciatton. 1 Christchurch, May It. : "Prince's weather," that has marked the'Eoyal tour ever since Rotorua was left, broko to-day. The morning was wet ■and drizzly, but afternoon saw the sun '-Making, fccblo efforts to break thrOug,ln 'the'clouds as the Prince walked from tho Christchurch Club to Latimor Square, where tho formal presentation of an address. from tho citizens'was-made by the Jlavor. / Many thousands of people were :-present'and heartily cheered the Prince '.' while coining and going. A fealhire of this function was the presence of members of tho Christchiirch Cambrian Society, the women'being dressed in quaint Welsh national garb. Miss Hudson made a .presentation, nnd "God Bless the Prince • of Wales" was then sung in English and : Celtic. His Royal Hig.hlnefs, in aeknow- : ledging the address, said lie was always .glad to mcot Welshmen anywhere in tho Empire. Addresses were also presented /from the Lyttelton Harbour Board, Methodist Church, British Israel .Association, and Returned Soldiers' Association. On his way to the Square His Royal ■Highness passed throujlh tho ranks of boy and girl scouts lining the entrance, . who gavo a Dominion haka as a mark of honour to his Tank as chief scout of Great Britain. Among those who came in ■ for special notice wa.s a man wearing Hie Scott Antarctic medal. At the conclusion of this ceremony tho freedom of th>e City of Christchurch was conferred upon the Prince by virtue of • a document handed -him by the Mayor (Dr. Thacker). This is the first case of .the Freedom of tho City being conferred ■ on anyone in Christclmrch, or, indeed, in New Zealand, nnd was decided lipon ■by a meeting of city councillors while waiting on the -railway platform last evening for -the Prince's arrival. It is 'not clear whether the idea can be given proper effect without special legislation, but that phase of tho matter will be in- ; quired info later. In flic meantime the idea, wihlich'originated with ihe Citizens' -Association, has been carried out, and His Royal Highness is enrolled as the first honorary froeman of tho City, of Christchurch. A beautiful casket of gold, platinum, and silver to contain the Auckland City address to the Prince was not completed when His Highness was in the north, but ; las now reached Chrisfchurch, and has ■ / been handed over. • After tho Latimer Square function the i Prince drove to Hngley Park. The route I was lined by thousands, and ■ thousands ' mors stood on all sides of the parade ground in the park. Tho inspection of veterans, and Territorials took some time, and .the Prince's frequent stoppage to speak to men wearing special ribbons or ■ to a wounded man earned His Highness frequent cheers nnd applause. The 1 troops made a fine display. A large ' number, of returned soldiers and nurses ] filed past the Prince. Iho drone of an • . .aeroplane, overhead added a touch to the scene reminiscent in many ears of dread- ; ful days .not long pnst, when suchi 6ounds ; meant much to the auditors. v: The. rain kept off, but the ground was • ' damp underfoot, and a chill southerly . > -wi"d made things very uncomfortable. : . To-night tho Prince attended a citizeiy?' j •ball given in his honour in tho Drill . , Hall. Cashel Street. A great crowd watch- ,- ed his progress to the hall, and inside the scene was one of splendour. Tho de- . «corations were carried out on a lavish j : scale, and the bright dresses of the ladies'- . made,: with the naval and military uni- . ; forms,. and sober civilian evening hp- ! . paTel,-'iv - charming kaleidoscope of life . m. and colour. To-morrow evening a second ~ ball will'be given, the Navy lensuo and "Returned Soldiers' Association being joint ■ iosts, ana the Prince is expected to at- . tend -this. In the afternoon he will bo . ,- the guest of the Canterbury Jockey Club ; at a special race meeting at BiccartOn. ~ CAPTAIN IN AUSTRALIAN NAVY : _ Brisbane, May 14 The Prince of Wales has accepted the "honorary Tank of Captain in the Australian 1 Navy.—Press Assn.